


Passing My Strength to You.

by SmokedJoker



Series: ShuAnn Week 2020 [4]
Category: Persona 5
Genre: Baton pass, F/M, ShuAnn Week 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-14
Updated: 2020-04-14
Packaged: 2021-03-01 18:48:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,620
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23651854
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SmokedJoker/pseuds/SmokedJoker
Summary: ShuAnn 2020 Week Day 4-PartnersStill getting used to her new metaverse powers, Ann messes up the synergy of the newly formed Phantom Thieves. As frustration grows within Ann, Ren offers her support as a fellow teammate.
Relationships: Amamiya Ren/Takamaki Ann, Kurusu Akira/Takamaki Ann, Persona 5 Protagonist/Takamaki Ann
Series: ShuAnn Week 2020 [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1693774
Comments: 4
Kudos: 38
Collections: Shuann Week 2020





	Passing My Strength to You.

“ _Ugghhhh, this is the worst. I’m the worst!”_ Ann inwardly chided herself as they exited Kamoshida’s palace after a long day.

Things had changed a lot for Ann in the past few days. Events she wished never happened, but nothing could change the past now. So, the only thing was to look onwards and try to punish the man that made her(and her best friend’s) life a living hell. In fact, this was for all the people whose lives were ruined because of Kamoshida. She had been docile all this time, and yet, the one to pay the price wasn’t herself, but her best friend. So now that she had the power to rain fire on that bastard, literally and figuratively, so she was going to make him pay. But….there was one small problem……

Now given the chance to end it all and yet she can’t aim her spells for the life of her!

Ann had recently joined a newly formed group whose mission was to steal Kamoshida’s desires and make him confess his crimes. It was the chance she had been looking for and yet she was messing up for some reason. From what’s she’s heard, none of the other guys had problems like this. Ryuji and Ren awakened around the same time frame as her, so it couldn’t be something she could blame on being a beginner herself. Ryuji got the hang of things quickly according to Ren, and Morgana said that Ren was a natural at fighting shadows. It was only her where the team seemed to be having problems. When she used her whip, her overall accuracy was normal, but the spells just seemed to be missing their marks after that first confrontation with Kamoshida. Few spells hit and even when they did, it seemed to be a miracle when it wasn’t supposed to be.

Ann sighed gloomily. How could she avenge Shiho like this?

“Don’t worry Lady Ann! I’m sure you’ll get the hang of things soon!” Morgana, the cat in Ren’s bag, was first in line to comfort her. She had noticed day one, but the feline seemed to harbor affection for her for some reason. The encouragement was nice the first few days, but now it felt like a record on repeat that that just bothered her to no end. Still, she couldn’t outwardly display her annoyance at that and just nodded kindly to Morgana. He had good intentions, just he didn’t know how to balance it.

“Thanks, Morgana. I’ll try again tomorrow!” Ann said in an attempt to cheer herself up. Her weak tone still showed her feelings in the matter.

“F’real. You need to do something soon, Ann.” Ryuji didn’t pull punches with Ann like Morgana did and bluntly told her off. “We can’t keep covering your ass when you mess up!”

“Hey, numbskull! You can’t treat a lady-

“No, No.” Ann quickly cut off Morgana’s attempt at white knighting her, waving her hand at Morgana lightly. “Ryuji’s right. I need to get this down soon.” Ann crossed her arms as she wondered what was going on with herself. She knew she was determined to get this done, but it seemed determination alone wasn’t going to cover it.

“Listen, Ann. I get you wanna bring that bastard down, we all do, but if you keep makin trouble for us, you can’t come with us.” Ryuji stated. “We don’t have a lot of time to wait around until you get it, got it?” Ryuji made clear. They had a deadline, one where his and Ren’s future was at stake. More so Ren than himself.

“Got it!” Ann nodded solemnly. All she’s done so far everyone is make trouble. Shiho and the guys. If she couldn’t get her act together, maybe it would be better to just let the guys handle this. Ann really didn’t want to have things come to that though. Being on the sidelines…..she’d just go back to the person she was before she awakened.

Ann glanced at Ren, who had said nothing to her so far. That was worrying in of itself because he was the leader of the group. His word was the one that had the most impact in the group that even Morgana, the one with the most experience in the metaverse, listened to Ren. If he said she was off the team, she felt the other two would agree with his decision(maybe Morgana would opt against it at first, but she felt Ren could convince him in the end).

Ann’s glance was noticed by Ryuji and Morgana so they both looked at Ren as well, waiting for his judgment. He was currently looking at his phone in the meantime, seemingly messaging someone until he noticed they were waiting for his verdict.

After putting his phone away, Ren gave Ann a neutral glance for a couple of seconds before sighing, something that made Ann panic inwardly.

_“Have I been written off already?!”_ Ann worriedly thought.

He glanced at Morgana, who was ready to go home with him.

“Morgana, can you head back to Leblanc without me? I need to talk to Ann,” Ren then glanced at Ryuji. “Alone.”

Ryuji shrugged in response while Morgana gave it some thought before complying.

“I have some stuff I need to do anyway, so go do whatever you want, leader,” Ryuji said before he looked back to Ann. “Seems like RenRen has some words of wisdom to share with ya!” Ryuji joked with Ann as he gave her a reassuring smile that it wasn’t anything bad. Ryuji walked away from the group to start his errands.

“Hmmmm, don’t criticize her too harshly, Ren! She’s just having a rough start! She’ll get it down eventually.” Morgana warned before jumping down from Ren’s bag and leaving the group as well.

Now it was only Ren and Ann alone in an alleyway near Shujin academy. Ann turned to catch a glance at Morgana’s tail disappear around the corner.

“You sure Morgana can get home by himself?” Ann asked Ren. A hint of worry in her tone. She was still adjusting to the fact a cat could talk. Treating Morgana like a bona fide person was still in the process.

“He’ll be fine. He’s been on his own a few times already.” Ren answered before he started walking in another direction. “C’mon, let’s go get a snack while we talk about this.”

Ann winced when Ren vaguely said ‘this’ since she knew what ‘this’ was. 

Ann followed behind him as they made their way through Shibuya. During the walk, it was mostly silent between the two and that’s when Ann came to realize this was the first time she and Ren had ever been alone together after everything that happened. Ryuji and Morgana had always been the middleman in a way between the two and the only time they ever spoke to each other directly without anyone else, was usually related to Phantom Thieves business or in class. It made Ann feel a little guilty she never tried to talk to Ren normally like she did with Ryuji. Ren was risking a lot helping her.

“Ah, We’re here.” Ren’s voice snapped Ann out of her thoughts as she looked to see where they were going to eat. Her eyes widened a bit at the familiar stand.

“Crepes?” Ann looked at Ren in surprise, not expecting Ren to know one of her favorite snacks. “Di-Did I ever tell you I liked them?” That would make Ann feel even more guilty if Ren took the time to learn about her when she knew nothing at all.

“Eh? You like them too?!” Ren said back with just as much surprise.

There was a couple of seconds to them staring at each other in surprise before Ren’s smile and chuckled broke the stalemate.

“Seems we have something common already.” Ren pointed out.

“Oh! Ahaha, yeah.” Ann blushed lightly in embarrassment. Turns out, Crepes can be someone else favorite snack as well.

They ordered their crepes and once they got them, they went and found somewhere to sit down and talk between the two of them. Ann anxiously awaited whatever criticism Ren had of her. As the leader and one to ensure all goes well, having an unreliable teammate like herself was sure to mess things up for them in the long run.

“It’s pretty good yeah?” Ren instead decided to comment on the crepes they were eating.

“Yeah,” Ann said quietly. She looked at Ren and noticed him not saying anything, They were just enjoying their crepes in silence, maybe a random easy topic to talk about every now and then, but this wasn’t what Ann wanted. Ann decided to grit her teeth and bite the bullet.

“Hey?” Ann called Ren out. “You don’t have to mind what Morgana said.”

“Morgana?” Ren repeated the name in confusion.  
  
“To not be harsh on me.” Ann clarified. “Just give it to me straight. I suck don’t I?” Ann said dejectedly.

Ren took a few seconds to wonder where their topic of Ms.Kawakami’s class derailed into Ann’s performance in the metaverse, but he guessed this is where things would have led up to eventually. So he was going to give her what she wanted.

“Totally!” Ren said with an amused smile. “Never thought I could see someone miss a fireball so many times in one day.” Ren’s cheerful tone threw Ann off for a second before retorting. 

“AH! Not that straight!” Ann said bitterly.

Ren laughed in response. “Well, what did you want me to say?” He noticed something that could only be described as a pout form on Ann’s lips.

“You know, be an encouraging leader. Give me some words of wisdom so I get out of this slump?” Ann crossed her legs and arms. “Ryuji completely lied to me,” Ann said in a helpless manner. Of course, she shouldn’t be expecting Ren to pull her out of her own troubles. If Ren and Ryuji could do so without much trouble, the problem lied with her somewhere.

“Morgana already gave you encouragement and Ryuji already gave you the criticism,” Ren answered back while taking another bite of his crepe. “There’s not much for me to say.”

“Then what are we doing?” Ann asked

“Just thought I’d take you somewhere to relax.”

“To relax?” Ann blinked, wondering if she heard Ren right.

Ren took a good couple of seconds, staring at Ann in a judging fashion. The sudden stare made Ann straighten out for some odd reason. After seeing Ann’s reaction, it made Ren chuckle wryly and wonder how Ann truly saw him. She treated him much differently than she did with Ryuji. That moment where she opened up to him….he hadn’t seen that girl since. Maybe it was too much to expect to be that open with him yet?

“You’re stressed every time we go into the metaverse.” Ren pointed out.

“I mean…it’s hard not to.” Ann confided. “If I don’t pull through this, you guys are going to be expelled and Kamoshida won’t answer to his crimes!” Ann thought of her best friend in the hospital. “What happened to Shiho…. I can’t forgive him for it!”

“Well, first step to doing that is relaxing,” Ren said calmly, understanding Ann’s feelings, but also noticing her anxiousness won’t get her anywhere. Ann quietly took in Ren’s advice, but she didn’t know what to do with it. Relax? That was easy to say.

“……I don’t even know what’s the problem.” Ann finally said. “I don’t know what changed after that first fight with Kamoshida’s goons, but afterward, it just seems so hard to get those spells to hit.”

“…..Maybe it’s your state of mind?” Ren offered.

“State of mind?”

“….You’re stiff, cautious, mindful, but then you’re also reckless in some cases and impatient in others.” Ren thought back to Ann’s awakening. She certainly had something that sparkled to him. Something different from Ryuji’s awakening. Though, that spark he saw in her was no longer there the following days. “You don’t really seem like that girl I saw who cleaved her cognitive self in two.” 

“Ugh, don’t remind me,” Ann said as the memory of how Kamoshida saw her came back to mind. Instead, she chose to focus on the other parts. “….How did you see me?” Ann asked curiously. 

Ren took a moment to recall the words he thought when he saw her. The scene was still so vivid in his mind.

After she cleaved Kamoshida’s cognition of her in two, she looked directly at Kamoshida. No fear that was present before. The uncertainty Kamoshida tried to implant in her all but gone. Only anger remained. Anger that was set ablaze in the same way Carmen’s flames appeared behind Ann. Her stance screamed conviction and strength. For a moment, Ren forgot where they were and found himself staring at Ann’s beautiful and strong appearance……despite her unique apparel.

Afterward, that look she had somewhat weakened due to the anxiousness at the possibility of failing. She was always in a rush, wanting to take down the shadows as quickly as possible. She no longer seemed….in control like before. She was shackling that potential she showed before. Ren guessed something was weighing Ann down, whether that was Kamoshida or something else….he didn’t know. They didn’t talk much.

“…Strong.” Ren stated. “ _And beautiful….very beautiful.”_ Ren thought to himself.

Ann’s eyes widened slightly.

Ann never considered herself strong. If she were to call someone strong, it’d be Ren or Ryuji, who chose to go against Kamoshida when she didn’t. When she chose to be meek and resigned, they stood up regardless of what others thought of them. The only reason she was here now, in this situation, was because of her weakness. With that mindset, Ren calling her strong…..it moved her to a degree.

“I know how tough it might have been…to finally stand up to him after so long and for things to turn out this way, I know it’s not what you wanted.” Ann’s focused eyes lost their luster as her gaze was cast downwards slightly. Gloomily recalling Shiho’s circumstances. “but it takes strength to continue forward after that. A strong heart.” Ren smiled gently at Ann. “It’ why you’re by our side in the metaverse as Panther.”

Ann paused slightly before softly shaking her head.

“You give me too much credit,” Ann said weakly as she looked away from his gaze, though there was a slight hue of red to her cheeks that show Ren’s words touched her. “You make it sound like you had no part in it.” Ann thought back to those words that made her awaken her Persona. She had given up at the moment, resigned to her fate unwillingly as Kamoshida was going to do god knows what to her. That was when she heard someone shout.

“ _Are you just gonna stand there and let him do what he wants, Takamaki-san?! Are you fine with what he did to Suzui-san?! Goddammit, Takamaki-san! Fight! I believe you can do it!!!”_

Something inside her stirred at Ren’s words of encouragement in the moment. That’s when it all happened. Pulling off the mask she had worn for so long was painful and yet so invigorating.

_“I believe you can do it!”_

Ann looked back at Ren, who was focused on finishing his crepe.

“Hey, Ren.” Hearing his name grabbing his attention away from the crepe.

Ann smiled lightly at his carefree attitude. If she was like him, maybe Shiho wouldn’t be at the hospital now.

“Thanks for believing in me. Guess I haven’t been doing a good job of living up to it though.” Ann sighed somberly. Bringing her hand to her cheek, she tapped her temple lightly. “Can I really do this?” Ann wondered. 

“I believe you can.” Those same words she just thought of came up again in his voice. “I always have.” She noticed a kind smile as Ren looked at her.

Ann noticed Ren’s more obvious characteristics. That shaggy black hair that screamed, no, begged someone to run their fingers through it. The curls and out of order appearance seemed very proper for him in some way. He just made it work. His glasses that once seemed to make him meek and ordinary were cast aside in the metaverse, where it became a mask to hide the confidant, cocky, easy-going person Ann was starting to know about.

That was when a sudden thought came to mind. Something she hadn’t thought of in a long time. Something she couldn’t really control at the moment. Something she really didn’t deem appropriate at the serious conversation they were having. The only time she would have deemed this appropriate is if her and Shiho were having a sleepover.

_“……was he always this……handsome………..eh?”_

A light blush returned to her cheeks as she looked away in a swift manner.

“You really are too nice you know that?” Ann grumpily said. She thought back to how Ren described her. “Strong huh? I’m not strong….I’m weak. I can’t use my Persona right and because of that, I’m dragging you guys down…” Ann sighed as the topic calmed her down and brought her down even more. “…Maybe Ryuji’s right…Maybe I should-

“Ann.” Her name cut in. “You’re doing it again,” Ren said with a wry tone.

“Doing what?”

“Trying to take all responsibility,” Ren explained. “You really try to make everything your fault.”

“But it is my fault!”

“I know that. I mean, I saw you miss all those spells in these past few days.” Ren said in a cheeky tone which made Ann puff up her cheeks in annoyance.

“Which is it then?!!”

“It’s because you’re the one that’s making it out to be this way, Ann.” Ren chuckled after saying so. “You really try to do everything on your own.” Ren recalled Ann’s behaviors in battle. 

There were slight moments where she worked well with the group but overall, she was lacking in teamwork. Ryuji suffered this problem in the past as well, but maybe because of Ryuji’s ‘brutish’ nature, someone who could get accustomed to fighting real quick. Ryuji quickly figured out the do’s and don’ts in fighting shadows. Also, noticing how smoother things went if he listened to Joker's orders, allowing for the team to come together more easily. Morgana being the veteran in the group had few problems to start with and these sorted themselves out after the first day. Ann though….Ann’s problems seemed to lie in her mental state when she thought about their end goal.

Progressing through Kamoshida’s palace, stealing the treasure and making Kamoshida confess his crimes, avenging Shiho. Ren guessed those kinds of thought took up Ann’s mindset when fighting shadows. Not that it was bad to not have those kinds of goals, but to have them occupy your mind even in battle. Well….it was no wonder she couldn’t hit shadows when it takes a steady mind to even bring forth a Persona into battle.

While Ren was trying to encourage Ann, she had enough of that the past few days. Ann gritted her teeth behind her closed mouth. She was sick of it. She had finally gained the power to do something, but look at what she was accomplishing with it? Nothing. In the end, was she going to let someone else take care of the problem? Take care of her problems?

The memory of Shiho in the hospital resurfaced in Ann’s mind.

“If I don’t do something, than Shiho-

“Ann.” Ren forcefully cut off Ann’s response. Noticing he had her attention, Ren let out a calm sigh as he looked at her seriously. “You’re not alone in this.”

Ann stilled in response. Her sudden agitation gone in an instant. Ren took another second of silence to see if Ann was listening before continuing. His gaze turned forward, into the passing crowds.

“You have more of a reason to go after him and make him pay. More than me….and I think Ryuji thinks the same. The injustice we’ve suffered….we…..I probably wouldn’t try and say I suffered more than Suzui-san.” 

Ren grimaced at the speculation he and Ryuji came to. He cast a bit of blame towards himself. Perhaps if he wasn’t so hesitant to get involved, maybe Shiho would have had a different fate.

“Being her best friend….I’m sure you want to do everything you can…but, don’t think you’re alone in thinking that.” Ren turned to face Ann again, who was looking, listening to Ren so intently. 

Her eyes became his point of interest. Eyes that were the pure kind of blue. They had that certain charm to them that made him feel he would never get tired of looking at them. He’d only known Ann Takamaki for so little, and yet, those eyes of hers told him what he needed to know. Ann was a good person. Kind, sweet, fun to be around, silly at times, and in Ren’s opinion, Ann was someone charming.

“Me, Morgana, Ryuji…..We all want to help you. So instead of thinking only you can carry that burden, let us help you carry it.” Ren gave Ann a reassuring smile. “I mean, that’s what teammates are for right?”

Ann sat there quietly listening to Ren the whole time. 

Taking his words to heart. Listening to Ren, Ann realized she had been thinking of what happened to Shiho as something only she, herself, had to solve. It’s why she was so focused on bringing Kamoshida down herself. Because she was Shiho’s best friend and no one else should have to go through what she was currently going through. Ren, Ryuji, and Morgana, they were her ticket to avenging Shiho, but her results ultimately decided whether she’d carry out avenging Shiho or not. But….now it seemed those intentions…those thoughts seemed to the very thing weighing her down again.

“Aren’t you tired of trying to do everything yourself?” Ren asked softly. “Didn’t you ask for my help….back at big bang burger?”

Her outpouring to him came back to mind. When she felt she had no one to confine to, in the moment she was close to going into the demon’s lair unwillingly, Ren pulled her out of it. He listened to her. At that moment, despite being in the crowds of Shibuya, she felt so alone and yet he made her seem like there was someone else who cared about her besides Shiho and her parents…..and he was just the new guy who transferred into all this.

“…You’ve been helping me already.” Ann said, an emotional chuckle escaping her soft lips. “I’d feel bad if-

“Nonsense.” Ren interrupted again. “You’ve been through a lot already, Ann. It’s time you let someone else be with you through those tough times. There’s only so much one person can do.”

Ann thought about saying something back. A retort or counter-argument, but nothing came to mind, because what Ren said was something she whole heartily agreed with. She was done being alone. She tried to handle Kamoshida alone and look where that got her……

Why did she have to be told this again?

Ann weakly smiled.

“Sorry, you have to tell me all this……It feels like I should have known that already but-

“It’s easier to talk to someone you don’t really know,” Ren answered with an understanding smile. “It helps if there’s someone willing to listen to you, right?”

Ann smiled as she recalled their conversation at Big Bang Burger. Ren said something similar when she asked a similar question back then.

“I wouldn’t say you’re someone I don’t know,” Ann looked at Ren warmly. “We’re friends. Ever since you stopped me back at Big Bang Burger, I wanted to get to know you.”

Ren smiled back, seeing Ann become more relaxed.

They spent more time together, trying to get to know each other better. As time passed, it was getting late, so Ren walked Ann to the train station.

“You know, we spent all day talking, but I’m still not sure I can do it.” Ann gave an embarrassed smile. “Is it really something simple like how I feel will affect my Persona in battle?” They were close to arriving at Ann’s train.

“I’m sure it is…..but it seems you can use a little push.” Ren started thinking of something to tell Ann to reassure her one more time.

“Hahhh, I wish I can be more like you guys. You, Ryuji and Morgana are all naturals! Give me some of that talent!” Ann joked as she gave a playful push at Ren with her elbow.

That was when an idea came to Ren. Her offhand comment seemed to give Ren some kind of inspiration. He stopped walking which prompted Ann to do the same as she looked back at him.

“Hey, Ann. Hold your hand up.” Ren asked while showing what he meant. Ren held up his hand, in a 90-degree angle.

Ann was confused at first but still mimicked Ren and as soon as she did…..

* **SLAP***

Her hand was met with Ren’s hand in what she considered a moderate high five. Not too strong but not too weak either.  
  
She took a moment to look at her hand as she brought it down before looking at Ren questioningly. 

“A high five?” Ann finally asked.

“Yes!” Ren said with a smug look on his face as if that was all he needed to say.

Ann took a moment before giggling in response. Turns out, Ren could be pretty silly at times. “Well, can you tell me why you did that?” Ann asked with a humored smile. 

“Well…I figured we can start doing that in the palace.”

“High fiving each other?” Ann considered it. “I mean, I guess being told I’m doing a good job does help a bit.”

"Well, that's also true, but I was thinking...You know, if one of us is doing a good job, then I wanna pass some of that luck to you too.” Ren sincerely said.

Ann smiled at Ren after he said that. The explanation brought forth a different name for the act though for Ann. “You know what I would call that?” Ann said.

“What?” Ren asked with a humored expression.

“A Baton Pass.”

Ren thought about the name. He knew what the phrase meant, but at the moment of coming up with the idea, it didn’t come to mind. Now that Ann brought it up, Ren couldn’t think of a better name.

“Baton Pass……I like it.” Ren looked down slightly in thought and said to himself softly. Ren looked back to Ann. “Alright, Baton Pass it is!” Ren said with strong approval.

Hearing his approval, Ann beamed with inward joy. For some reason, rather than being happy her name was approved, the beating in her heart was more so from it being Ren being the one to like the name she thought of. It gave her a special degree of satisfaction she didn’t fully understand at the moment. 

It was just a little idea they came up with to help Ann do better in battle and it did help, as the Phantom Thieves eventually continued their trade of changing hearts, but the Baton Pass turned out to be one of the key techniques the Phantom Thieves would regularly use in battle. It became a very cemented technique. 

It was even something Ren and Ann did outside of the metaverse. Something that became a staple in their relationship. Even after their relationship became something more than friendship.

**Author's Note:**

> Here is the Day 4 Prompt! One more prompt needs to be looked over and edited, but otherwise, after that, that's all I have at the moment for ShuAnn week for 2020! There's still two prompts that have ideas written out but nothing started yet. I don't know if they will come out soon, but we'll see. I honestly want to try and get a chapter of TTR out before trying to see if I want to continue those two prompts. It's been a while for TTR.
> 
> The idea for this prompt actually came from a fun little fact I learned when looking at vanilla P5. All active team members learn Baton Pass at Rank 2, the only sole exception to that is Ann! Ann learns Baton Pass at Rank 1, so when she first joins the party! I figure it'd be fun to write where her and Ren come up with the idea during the events of the Kamoshida arc.
> 
> Thanks for reading and hope you enjoyed! Please go look at all the other(on-time) works that were released during ShuAnn week!


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